The present disclosure relates to a device for use with a container or vessel containing a fluid, and more particularly to a device for use with a bottle to assist in dispensing such fluid in a controlled manner, e.g., to assist an animal in drinking therefrom. The present disclosure further relates to a container and/or vessel that includes an advantageous flow regulation device.
Fluids are routinely contained within containers and/or vessels, e.g., plastic and/or glass bottles. To gain access to the fluids contained with a container/vessel, a cap is generally removed and the fluid is poured or otherwise dispensed therefrom. Thus, for example, in the case of plastic beverage bottles, a cap is generally screw threaded onto the throat of the bottle which can be removed, as desired, when it is desired to access the contents thereof. The beverage is generally consumed directly from the bottle, by way of a straw, or by pouring the beverage into a cup or glass.
In certain circumstances, beverage/water bottles may be provided with a control mechanism that permits fluid to flow therefrom upon axial movement of an annular flange relative to a fixed central abutment member. By moving the annular flange away from the bottle, an annular fluid flow path around the central abutment member is created. Axial movement of the annular flange is generally limited by a stop mechanism, thereby ensuring that the annular flange does not become separated from the bottle/control mechanism. Once the control mechanism is in the xe2x80x9copenxe2x80x9d position, fluid may be dispensed from the bottle under the action of gravity by tilting or inverting the bottle in combination with squeezing and/or suction forces. Return movement of the annular flange toward the bottle may be undertaken to xe2x80x9cclosexe2x80x9d the bottle, i.e., prevent further fluid flow therefrom.
The foregoing bottle designs are generally effective for human consumption of fluids. However, such designs are not effective for a host of other applications. Thus, for example, pet owners involved in providing their pets with recreation encounter a variety of issues. For example, dog owners encounter issues associated with satisfying a dog""s thirst when dog and owner are away from the dog""s water bowl, e.g., when on a walk or engaged in athletic/recreational activities. It is often inconvenient and/or impractical when not at home to bring along and set up a bowl or some other container from which a pet can drink. While naturally occurring sources of fluid refreshment are sometimes available, e.g., ponds, puddles and the like, more frequently pet owners are left to their own ingenuity in attempting to address their dog""s thirst when remote from the home-based water bowl.
Efforts have been devoted in the prior art to developing devices and/or systems for providing fluid refreshment to pets. For example, significant efforts have been expended in providing fluid dispensers for caged pets, such as rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters and the like. U.S. Pat. No. 3,529,575 to Schalk et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,771,496 to Atchley, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,363,802 to Huff disclose drinking bottles that may be detachably mounted to a pet""s cage. The fluids from the disclosed drinking bottles are introduced into the cage by way of an angled tube that fits through openings defined in the wire cage. Control and/or regulation of fluid flow into the cage is provided by a displaceable ball (Atchley ""496 patent and Huff ""802 patent), a valve assembly (Schalk ""575 patent), or multiple balls operating in conjunction to establish a seal.
Prior art efforts have also been devoted to developing systems for use by larger pets, e.g., dogs. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,634 to Ho discloses an animal feeder designed for convenient mounting to a horizontal wire member, the feeder including a ball 60 disposed in a tubular extension 43.
A pet drinking device offering portability to pet owners is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,293,226 to Hwang. The device of the Hwang ""226 patent includes a bottle having a threaded mouth and a cover that engages the threaded mouth. An unsecured gasket is positioned between the cover and the bottle. The cover includes a main body that is internally threaded to engage the mouth of the bottle, and a tube. The tube defines an outwardly threaded portion at an end thereof. An internally threaded sleeve is mounted to the outwardly threaded portion of the tube. An unsecured sealing ring is positioned between the tube and the sleeve. A ball and washer are positioned within the sleeve and a lid is tethered to the cover. A belt is also provided for mounting the Hwang drinking device to a stationary structure, e.g., a hook on a wall.
Despite the prior art efforts referenced hereinabove, a need remains for advantageous control mechanisms for regulating the flow of fluid from a container or vessel. More specifically, a need exists for a drinking aid for use with animals/pets, e.g., dogs, cats, ferrets, rodents and the like, that may be readily utilized with a container, e.g., a conventional water/beverage bottle, and that offers the animal/pet convenient and controlled access to fluid refreshment.
The present disclosure is directed to a control mechanism for regulating the flow of fluid from a container or vessel, e.g., a plastic bottle containing a fluid such as water or the like. The disclosed control mechanism may be advantageously employed in a variety of applications where it is desired to dispense and/or access fluids in a controlled manner, e.g., applications wherein a liquid, colloidal system, suspension or the like is to be dispensed/accessed in a controlled manner. The disclosed control mechanism may be provided as an accessory item, i.e., an item that is adapted to be secured to a container/vessel/bottle. The disclosed control mechanism may also be pre-mounted to a container/vessel/bottle, e.g., in the manufacturing process. In such circumstance, the present disclosure is directed to the container/vessel/bottle in combination with such advantageous control mechanism.
In an exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure relates to an animal or pet drinking aid that provides animals/pets with convenient and controlled access to fluid refreshment, e.g., when away from a home-based water bowl. The disclosed drinking aid overcomes difficulties associated with typical water bottles that deliver uncontrolled fluid flow when fully or partially inverted. The uncontrolled fluid flow provided by such conventional water bottles often finds its way into a pet""s windpipe or onto the ground, regardless of the effort and care expended in attempting to address the pet""s thirst.
In an exemplary embodiment, the disclosed pet drinking aid generally includes a cap that is adapted to be detachably mounted to a fluid-containing bottle. The cap may be advantageously threaded onto a fluid-containing bottle. Alternatively, the disclosed cap may include an elastomeric sleeve that facilitates detachably mounting the cap to a bottle, thereby obviating the need for cooperative threads as between the cap and the bottle. The disclosed cap also includes an internal ball that advantageously restricts and/or moderates the flow of fluid from a bottle when positioned at various angles of inversion. The internal ball is typically restrained or captured within the cap by a circumferential flange or rim that advantageously includes an elastomeric, e.g., rubber, washer adjacent and/or in engagement therewith. The washer provides an enhanced fluid seal when a pet is not accessing fluid contained within the container. Thus, for example, the bottle may generally be inverted without fluid leakage due to sealing interaction between the ball and the elastomeric washer, and between the washer and the rim of the cap.
In a first preferred embodiment of the pet drinking aid of the present disclosure, a ball is captured within a cap and is resiliently biased toward the dispensing end of the cap, e.g., by a compression spring. The cap is adapted to be detachably mounted to a fluid-containing bottle, e.g., a conventional water bottle. Preferably, the cap is internally threaded so as to facilitate screwing the cap onto the outwardly threaded neck of the bottle. In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosed pet drinking aid, a ball for regulating fluid flow and an internal plastic spring are positioned within the cap. The plastic spring advantageously supplies a light force against the ball so as to bias the xe2x80x9cfloatingxe2x80x9d ball against a lip or flange formed at or near the dispensing end of the cap, thereby capturing the ball therewithin. The diameter of the compression spring is generally slightly less than the diameter of the ball where it contacts the ball, thereby ensuring that the spring maintains engagement with the ball, i.e., the ball is not able to pass through the center of the spring. At the opposite end, the base of the spring typically engages a ridge formed in or defined by the cap, and may be advantageously staked, glued or otherwise mounted to the cap. Alternatively, the base of spring may be positioned between and secured relative to spaced ridges formed in the cap, or positioned between and secured relative to a plurality of spaced, inwardly projecting guides and/or projections formed in the cap. In a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the ridge is positioned at or near the midpoint of the cap.
Once the cap is mounted to a fluid-containing bottle according to preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, and the bottle is fully or partially inverted, the motion/pressure supplied to the ball by the pet""s tongue, e.g., when licking the bottle/cap, pushes the ball in slightly, i.e., against the bias of the spring positioned therebehind. The movement of the ball relative to the housing of the cap allows fluid within the bottle to flow around the ball. Thus, as the pet licks the ball, the ball assumes a slightly recessed position within the cap and simultaneously spins/rotates, thereby allowing fluid to continuously flow to the pet""s mouth. When the pet""s licking action ceases, the spring advantageously biases the ball back into sealing engagement with the washer positioned adjacent the rim of the cap, thereby discontinuing the flow of fluid to the pet, regardless of the orientation of the bottle.
According to further preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, small projections/guides or a continuous lip or ridge may be provided on the interior of the cap to more reliably secure the elastomeric washer in position. This structural arrangement advantageously prevents the washer from becoming dislodged and interfering with the ball""s desired motion. In exemplary embodiments of the disclosed pet drinking aid, four guides/projections are provided to secure the washer in position. The length of the guides/projections is selected so as to ensure a desired level of security while simultaneously permitting facile assembly of the device. Thus, for example, the guides/projections may be fabricated such that they are about half the thickness of the washer material, and the guides/projections may be circumferentially spaced around the interior of the cap, e.g., one guide/projection located at 0 degrees, one at 90 degrees, one at 180 degrees and one at 270 degrees. Alternatively, according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, one continuous lip or ridge may be substituted for individual, spaced guides/projections. According to such alternative embodiment, the lip may be advantageously fabricated such that its thickness is less that the thickness of the washer. The thickness of the securing structure (e.g., guides/projections or lip/ridge) is selected so as not to impede/interfere with the ball sealing against the washer.
Several forces cooperate or interact to control/moderate the flow of fluid from a bottle/cap according to a spring-biased embodiment of the present disclosure. For example, the spring bias and the fluid pressure associated with the inversion (full or partial) of the bottle generally acts against the force of the pet""s tongue to determine the degree to which fluid flows from the bottle. Moreover, the speed with which the ball is rotated by the pet""s tongue influences the fluid dispensing rate and/or volume. The incremental force supplied by the spring bias advantageously provides a tighter seal to the cap of the present disclosure, particularly in circumstances where the bottle is positioned upright. That is, the spring continuously provides force for the ball to contact the washer at the cap""s outer opening, even when the bottle is upright, thereby minimizing or avoiding inadvertent leaking. However, the force of the spring is selected such that it is not so strong as to prevent the pet""s drinking motion from pressing the ball slightly inward and moving it in a circuitous motion, thereby allowing fluid to flow to the pet.
According to a further preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, an alternative cap is provided that includes an internal ball captured therewithin and a washer mounted at or adjacent the top of the cap. Unlike the previously described embodiments, however, this further preferred embodiment omits a biasing spring. A ridge is formed on the internal surface of the cap and defines the position where the ball rests when the cap and bottle are upright. Another washer may be optionally provided between the ball and the internal ridge to enhance sealing therebetween. The optional washer is advantageously secured relative to the cap by a plurality of small projections/guides or a continuous lip or ridge, as described with reference to the first washer hereinabove.
Inclusion of the second washer advantageously provides an enhanced seal when the fluid-containing bottle is upright. Generally, the inclusion of the optional washer necessitates slightly greater space for ball movement, so that when the pet is drinking from the bottle and cap, the ball is not pushed so far inward that it is forced into engagement with the additional washer. If insufficient space is provided, smooth rolling of the ball is impeded and fluid flow unacceptably retarded. It is noteworthy, however, that inclusion of an additional washer is generally not necessary or feasible in embodiments that utilize a biasing spring, as described hereinabove, because the ball may be prevented from engaging the second washer by the interposition of the spring.
In a further exemplary embodiment, a control mechanism is disclosed for use with a vessel/container/bottle and includes a lower cap member, overcap member and a ball that is captured therebetween. The lower cap member is adapted to be mounted to a vessel, container or bottle, e.g., by screw threading or the like. The overcap member is adapted to be movably mounted relative to the lower cap, e.g., by threading engagement therewith. The ball typically rests on an internal flange or shelf formed in the lower cap member and, depending on the relative location of the overcap member, either prevents fluid from flowing through the control mechanism or permits fluid to flow therearound in a regulated fashion.
More particularly, in an exemplary embodiment of the disclosed control mechanism, the overcap member may be xe2x80x9ctightenedxe2x80x9d such that the ball is prevented from movement relative to the lower cap/overcap members, thereby preventing fluid flow therearound. By moving the overcap member away from the lower cap member, the ball is freed up for rotational and axial (and limited lateral) motion within the space defined between the lower cap/overcap members, thereby permitting fluid flow from the vessel/container/bottle and through an opening defined in the overcap member. Exemplary control mechanisms may include further advantageous features and functionalities, e.g., reference indicator(s) that reflect (e.g., on a relative basis) the degree to which fluid will flow therethrough, detent mechanisms for audibly and/or tactilely communicating the degree to which the control mechanism has been opened/closed, and/or a backflow mechanism to prevent fluid from returning to the vessel/container/bottle from the control mechanism. Additional features, functionalities and applications of exemplary control mechanisms according to the present disclosure are set forth in the detailed description which follows.
According to preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, the advantageous control mechanism and animal/pet drinking aid are fabricated from conventional materials of construction, e.g., plastic(s), rubber(s) and the like. The disclosed control mechanism and pet drinking aid are advantageously sized and dimensioned to be utilized with any standard size fluid bottle, as are known in the art. In addition, the size and dimensions of the disclosed control mechanism and animal/pet drinking aid may be modified, based on the teachings herein, to effectively interact with alternative and/or future fluid containers.
Control mechanisms and animal/pet drinking aids according to the present disclosure are relatively inexpensive to fabricate and provide an efficient, safe and reliable way to dispense fluids from a container/vessel/bottle and/or provide animals/pets with fluids from a bottle, particularly in instances and places where a bowl or other container is simply not a feasible or convenient choice. Thus, according to the present disclosure, a control mechanism and an animal/pet drinking aid are provided that allow users to avoid undesirable situations where the pet may gag or choke on fluids supplied from a typical water bottle. The disclosed control mechanism and animal/pet drinking aid advantageously overcome the potential for waste and spillage generally associated with fluids provided from containers/vessels/bottles, e.g., fluids provided to pets in portable water bowls and the like. Additional features, benefits and functionalities associated with control mechanisms and animal/pet drinking aids according to the present disclosure will be apparent from the detailed description which follows.